


These dangerous games we play

by superviolentfantasy



Category: Fear the Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Canon-Typical Violence, Drunkenness, F/M, Obsession, Possessive Behavior, Power Dynamics, Troy being Troy, Wet Dream, dom!troy, implicit sex, serial killer troy but that's nothing new
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-06-07 20:20:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15227115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superviolentfantasy/pseuds/superviolentfantasy
Summary: Three times Troy comes off a little creepy pursuing Madison with his mommy-issues fueled crush vs the one time he turns out to be exactly what she needs.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to say I’m so sorry for not posting any troy x madison fanfic in what feels like ages now. I’ve just been busy with life and other WIPs I have going on at the moment. Hope this makes up for it! I tried to make it as long and enjoyable as I could just because I know we all crave a fix for these two.

It was an unusual setting to say the least. Only a couple of days had passed since Madison’s family arrived on the Otto family’s ranch settling in as best they could. Jeremiah had invited them over for dinner one night to as he put it, make them feel welcome and put the past behind them.

Of course Madison chose to go along with Jeremiah’s wishes, play the part as the accommodating guest for the sake of playing it safe for awhile. That was after all the best strategy for the time being to ensure their survival. Pretending to show compliance was only an illusion in the grand scheme of things.

She could relate to her kids all too easily herself but they had to move on if they were going to make this work.

They found themselves apprehensive as they stood on the front porch of the Otto’s house not knowing what to anticipate. Not surprisingly the Otto’s house was bigger than all the other homes on the property.

It was a large colonial looking structure made up of two stories decked with beautiful high arched windows, a brick exterior and a side drop gable roof.

 “ I don’t trust them. This ranch..these people. There’s just something off about the whole place.” Nick gave his mom a funny look still weary of seeking refuge on the Otto’s ranch especially after their encounter with Troy. The youngest Otto son had proved himself dangerous and a threat towards Madison’s family. She couldn’t blame Nick for being paranoid.

Turning to her son she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“ Then don’t. Trust me.”

As a mother she had a role to be strong for her children. Despite the fact that they weren’t little kids anymore the maternal instinct was protective all the same.

 “ Hey Madison, glad you and your family could join us.” Jake was the one to greet them not dressed in his usual fatigues. His gaze lingered towards Alicia that didn't go unnoticed.

“ It’s not like we had a choice anyway.” Nick mumbled low enough that the oldest Otto son couldn’t hear him still earning a light punch to the shoulder with Alicia being in earshot.

“ Don’t bother with taking off your shoes. The carpet is already a mess no thanks to my brother always tracking dirt whenever he comes crashing in.” Madison took notice of patches of dried dirt that contrasted with the shag red carpet where Troy’s boots had still left imprints.

Such a slob, she thought.

Thankfully Troy was nowhere to be seen as she made her way inside seeing for the first time the house the Otto clan grew up in. It was nothing less than what she’d expected of a privileged white male of Jeremiah’s stature. The living room had a brown plaid sofa and heavy oak furniture and a full-sized kitchen connected to it. She could easily see it accommodating two high spirited boys no doubt stirring up all kinds of trouble.

On a bookshelf there were multiple family pictures capturing moments of the Ottos throughout the years. One in particular caught her interest. In the incandescent light she found herself looking at a younger version of Troy.

 

He was the living picture of pure innocence, his hair a shade lighter and the bluest eyes she’d ever seen.

 

This one stood out especially due to the sweet smile he was wearing with no hint of its usual malice. It was probably the purest form of him she’d ever get close to. Holding a tired looking old barn cat in his tiny arms that seemed to be trying to free itself loose it was hard to imagine the boy ever growing up to have such a cruel streak.

 

She stroked her thumb over the frame wondering when it was everything went so horribly wrong.

 

“ They sure grow like weeds don’t they?” Jeremiah approached Madison remembering the image of a young Troy crying as Jake held him shielding him from their father’s rage. He’d shown her the tapes promoting his ranch as a survivalist community, a beacon of hope for society’s eventual end. In light of everything creating a vision of utopia, the Ottos gathered around while they forced smiles directly at the camera Jeremiah’s true colors had been exposed.

 

Watching the scene unfold made her draw similar parallels to her own childhood. Times when her father would come home late buzzed from drinking too much after working late again in the office. Her father’s booming voice full of hate echoed and vibrated behind closed doors making her shrink in fear.

 

Men like Jeremiah, like her father. They were the real monsters.

 

“ Yeah. Wish I still had pictures of Nick and Alicia when they were little.” Madison feigned any mistrust she held towards Jeremiah setting the frame down and going on to ask him about the others.

 

Barely twenty minutes had passed when a loud bang interrupted them mid conversation followed by a cool breeze announcing Troy’s presence.

 

“ Hey Jake!” Troy kicked the screen door behind him resonating a loud thud that could be heard from throughout the entire house. Madison got the impression Troy didn’t get the memo of her family spending the evening with his family acting like they weren’t there. She rolled her eyes letting out a harsh sigh really not in the mood for dealing with him right now.

 

“ You sure missed out tonight! Save for a few terrified rabbits.”

 

The stomping of Troy’s boots could be heard from a mile away boasting excitedly about killing a few helpless rodents.

A strap of rabbit corpses lay slung over his shoulders, their heads dangling lifelessly. Troy on the other hand acted like it was the most normal thing in the world. Madison gave him a disapproving look when he caught her eye.

 

Jake’s expression hardened with disapproval as he lead Troy out of the kitchen. The food on the table was hot and Madison couldn't remember the last time she had a home-cooked meal. Still, she found herself quietly observing the brothers from the sidelines.

 

“ Jesus Christ, what the hell is wrong with you?” Jake hissed in his brother’s ear as he took him aside scolding him for making such a scene.

 

It was unsettling how passive Troy appeared like nothing fazed him at all.

 

“ Just be grateful they’re not people.” Troy bit back sarcastically his dark humor not amusing his brother in the slightest.

 

“ Just go change will you? And try to act like a decent human being.”

 

In the hallway Troy’s gaze drifted over to Madison staying there for a moment before finally making his way up the stairs.

 

Jake muttered something under his breath before putting his best face forward attending to his guests.

 

Dinner commenced and things were looking pretty uneventful until Troy returned putting a damper on everything. Even in the dim light Madison noticed how his skin was dyed to honeyed brown from being out in the sun so much. It gave him an almost soft appearance that was brought out by the blue of his eyes. He was wearing regular clothes this time, faded jeans and a plain grey tee. If Madison had passed him on the street at any other time she probably would've thought he was a college student or something along those lines.

 

Looks could be deceiving though and she wasn’t about to be fooled by Troy.

 

She watched him closely now as he entered the dining room. Her eyes surveyed him calmly, analyzing him like the enemy he was.

 

The moment Madison pulled out a chair Troy suddenly appeared mirroring her as he sat himself at the opposite end. Standing there for a moment she felt strongly compelled to seek a place near Alicia or Nick but decided against it not about to let him get to her.

 

They’d reserved themselves to small talk mostly, asking where they were from and small insignificant details about their past lives. Looking back, Madison wished she had spent more time with her family, with Nick. Her troubled son had dropped out of college due to struggling with his drug addiction. She thought she could make things right but after being in and out of rehab so many times and coming full circle only to relapse it was like he just didn’t care anymore.

 

“ So..Madison, what exactly was your occupation before all hell broke loose?” Jeremiah posed the question right away. It was going to be a long evening.

 

“ I was a guidance counselor at Alicia’s high school.” Madison gestured over to her daughter who made little eye contact.

 

“ So a regular shrink eh?” He cleared his throat as if genuinely interested.  

 

“ We tried that with Troy you know when we had to pull him out of school.” Troy didn’t seem to acknowledge Jeremiah bringing him up in the conversation. Instead he played around with his potatoes, sitting slouched, elbows on the table, a look of immeasurable boredom gracing his slovenly features.  

 

“ I suppose traditional academia so to speak wasn’t his thing but we managed to improvise. In my opinion a boy learns best with his hands and not tied to a desk.”

 

“ Well intelligence manifests itself in many forms.” Madison spoke before thinking. It was like an instinct almost to advocate for those who had a harder time with the academic structure of school. It wasn’t the right environment for everyone but perhaps Jeremiah was blind to that.

 

The corners of Troy’s lips twitched into a smile not intending to make it sound like she was standing up for him. She hadn’t meant to give off the impression, to him of all people. Though it certainly came off that way.

 

She remembered Troy mentioning he was pulled from school getting the sense he was well..different. Madison could definitely see Troy not getting along with most people he encountered. Being hard around the edges with the inability to socialize normally no doubt made him a bit of an outcast.

 

It wasn’t a hard picture to paint.

 

Madison didn’t think Jeremiah was used to others speaking out against him too often so when his gaze shifted towards her she assumed she hit a nerve.

 

Instead Jeremiah simply shook his head not seeming affected whatsoever.

 

“ I guess you could say it wasn’t so much the academic part of it. Mind you I didn’t raise any basket-case.” He paused briefly, his eyes flicking towards Madison in case she was going to respond and then went on when she didn't.

 

Madison just stared at him mutely, wary of his easy chatty tone.

 

“ I know the importance of a good education. Thing is, Troy here’s been an outdoor cat so long it was hard for him to let’s say adapt to a more domesticated environment.”  

 

The old man raised his glass in the air shrugging his shoulders noncommittally. Normally Madison would think it rather demeaning to talk about his own son in such a demeaning manner. Frankly though, she didn’t feel herself in a position to feel pity for Troy at the moment.

 

He was saying too much now, most likely not in the clearest frame of mind having had too much wine.

 

“ Dad, _stop_.” There was an uncomfortable pause when Jake finally spoke up, his tone challenging when the topic of Troy’s childhood was brought up. Oddly enough if Troy was bothered in the slightest he wasn’t very verbal about it. Twirling the knife in his hand for dramatic effect he stabbed at the sirloin on his plate eyes lifting towards Madison putting her on edge. The meat made a loud squelching sound when he dug into it. The dark sauce that oozed through the center made her think of blood.

 

Either Jeremiah ended up getting the message or saw no point in making things more awkward than they had to be.

 

Meanwhile, Troy’s food remained untouched throughout the rest of the evening too busy stealing glances with the object of his desire that sat across from him. Every so often Madison swore she felt something brush up against her foot nudging at her calf. When she finally looked up to try to surmise the source Troy was there following her gaze.  

 

Madison could’ve called him out for being a pervert if she really wanted to. She could’ve done a lot of things. In the end she didn’t say anything.

 

Eventually they found themselves the only ones left at the table as Jake had promptly asked Nick and Alicia if they wanted to see the rest of the house. Her kids didn’t have anything better to do and something told her Jake wanted an excuse to be around her daughter for a little longer.

 

Conveniently Jeremiah had excused himself mentioning something about having business to attend.

 

The sudden uncomfortable silence between them only made the air between them much more tense.

 

Unsurprisingly Troy made the first move sliding his glass of wine over to Madison gauging her reaction as if they were playing some twisted game of chess. She was left unsure whether or not to accept it having no idea what his intentions were.

 

“ What do you want, Troy?”

 

“ To be friends.” He sounded hungry when he said it. A different kind of hunger that food wouldn’t satisfy.

 

“ Why?” She inquired him not liking that dark look in his eyes again. Wanting her attention. Wanting her. The mere thought slid through her like oil and water. She tried to shrug it off.

 

“ Because..” He slowly curved his lips into a smile unsure how to register that wild glint in his eyes like she was the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen.

 

“ It’s important to me.”

 

“ We don’t need to be friends. It’s just like your father said isn’t it? We’re all just one big family living under the same roof. We just need to focus on not killing each other.” Madison returned his smile playing him in equal measure.

 

“ How can you be so sure then that I didn’t poison the wine?”

 

Troy remained impassive to Madison’s threats wetting his lips with excitement. Clearly he was enjoying this.

 

“ You _did_ try to take my eye out with a spoon after all.” There was a disturbing fondness to his accusation that Madison wasn’t sure how to interpret.

Madison narrowed her eyes glancing at the knife resting on top her plate.

 

She wondered how Troy’s blood would look on the mahogany wood surface staining the surface, like his sins never washing out completely.

 

“ Well that wouldn’t look so good on your part now would it?” Considering my son held a gun to you not too long ago. I’d say you’re on a tight leash as is.” She went ahead bringing the glass to her lips his stare now burning into her making her feel personally violated.

 

Her focus laid on his eyes, his perfectly clear blue orbs that were silently speaking to her. She could see right through him and him through her.

 

In her past life as a school counselor she’d confronted numerous types of troubled youth assessing and judging behavior based on years of experience. The safety of her office provided a sense of control on her part helping those who came to her for emotional support.

 

Troy was a completely different case. She couldn’t just sit down and talk him through his obvious sociopathic tendencies manifested in lacking a moral compass and having a cruel temperament.

 

She remembered walking into the cabin lodge Jeremiah had so graciously designated her family to stay. Finding Troy sleeping in her son’s bed as if waiting specifically for her making an effort to invade her space.

 

“ _I guess you could say I was kicked out for having a mind of my own_.”

 

“ _That and_..” He grinned back when he took a step towards Madison, eyes darkening studying her for a moment when she didn’t back away from him. Madison Clark was a puzzle he wanted to solve.

 

“ _I might’ve threatened to stab my teacher in the windpipe when he refused to give me an A_.”

 

“ _That probably wasn’t such a smart move_.” He didn’t seem very sorry when he said only adding to Madison’s uneasiness.

 

That’s when Madison saw his true form. An unhinged young adult left to his own devices at a vulnerable age. The loose screws in his head festered leaving bigger gaps over time. His father was negligent and an angry drunk and from what she gathered his mother refused to acknowledge his very existence.

 

She might’ve felt sorry for him had he not put her family in danger back at the depot.

 

“ _You feel like a victim_?”

 

“ _Are you analyzing me now_?” He asked incredulously, his blue eyes narrowed observing her like she was him.

 

It was safe to say keeping Troy at bay was her main priority now.

 

She grimaced when his smile never left getting up from the table after finally having enough of Troy for one evening.

* * *

Just as Madison was about to head upstairs to use the bathroom she was stopped by none other than Troy who was blocking her path.

 

He stood several steps above her, his hand perched on the railing as he watched her approach him reluctantly.

 

“ You want to know why you feel at a disadvantage right now?”

 

Madison locked eyes with Troy standing her ground when he confronted her catching her in a rare moment unaccompanied by her kids.

 

“ Because you’ve made us prisoners on your ranch?”

 

That was the most obvious answer she could come up with. How he loved to bear witness to the resistance behind her eyes, that fiery anger blazing in her green irises as if meant to burn him alive where he stood.

 

Troy huffed a small laugh only making her all the more unsettled, “ Because you’re standing below me.”

 

Making her way up the stairs she stopped when she stood at eye-level with Troy so they met at equal ground. Feeling less small in comparison was more so her style anyway. She had to assert her confidence with Troy. Let him know he didn’t intimidate her if that’s what his aim was.

 

She held his gaze but didn’t say anything.


	2. Chapter 2

Nick wasn’t oblivious by how enthralled Troy was by his mom on a daily basis. He didn’t know what he could’ve seen in her that intrigued him so much. Perhaps the guy had unresolved mommy issues and responded to her filling in that role out of pure instinct. Either way he wouldn’t be so concerned if he didn’t see the lines in their unusual relationship beginning to blur.

It happened one day when he was helping Jeremiah clear out Russel and Martha’s home after the previous night it had set fire. He was hot and sweaty from shoveling piles of dirt and ashes when big Otto had asked him to fetch more tools from the shed.

It was tedious work really, but it kept his mind occupied.

By the time he got to the shed he was dying of thirst taking it upon himself to help himself to a glass of water in the Otto’s kitchen while he was there.

Their place was definitely nice, much better than the small cabin lodge his family was currently occupying. He looked around at the cream colored walls that surrounded him as well as the polished wooden floor and a graceful banister that led up to a second story. Just then the sound of a piano playing in the background interrupted his thoughts.

Following the source of the pleasant melody he was surprised to discover Troy and his mom seated at the grand piano in the corner of the living room. Madison was playing and Troy simply watched her intently.

It was a bit of a shock to him to say the least. The pair were actually getting along quite suspiciously well, no tension between them whatsoever. Troy might’ve said something to make his mom chuckle softly. He couldn’t be sure. They seemed awfully cozy with one another.

The peace was short lived however, disrupted when Troy decided to join in gradually accompanying his mom in the piece she was playing.

Nick would’ve never had guessed that Troy was capable of playing such a refined instrument.

Observing them with growing interest now Nick watched as Troy made his move scooting closer beside his mom on the piano bench. His foot was on the pedal before she had time to do so much as react. Their shoulders touched and Troy turned to her smiling as Madison slowly lifted her eyes towards him.

Breaking the tension, she spoke up quickly trying to regain some control of the situation she found herself in.

“ You have piano fingers,” She remarked, her expressioned softening attempting to lighten the atmosphere.

She had to be ahead of Troy at all times, never make him think for as second that he had the upper hand.

“ So I’ve been told,” He made a low affirmative noise not breaking concentration once. His notes mimicked Madison’s having an almost eerie ominous quality.

“ Who taught you?” Beginning to grow uncomfortable with their close proximity Madison went on to press him with questions like that was supposed to distract him somehow.

“ My grandmother always complained about never having any granddaughters.”

“ Jake was always busy at school studying or whatever to keep my old man happy.” Troy went on with a sharp edge in his voice right way detecting feelings of repressed hostility towards his brother.

Family was always a taboo subject she sensed when it came to the youngest Otto.

Maybe she imagined it but the piano seemed to pulse with all the pent up rage Troy was struggling to contain. Each note grew louder than he next vibrating throughout every wall in the house.

“ I guess she didn’t like that I was actually getting good,” He chuckled dryly, “ After that I only played in secret.” Though his lips twisted into a smile as if reminiscing about some fond distant memory his eyes were as cold as ice.

As the music became increasingly complex it became harder to keep up with Troy. Madison remained persistent determined not to lose this power struggle he had snared her in. She never allowed herself  to get caught caught up in anyone’s web too good at adapting to others

“ Enough about me though. What about you?” Eventually Troy reached his arm over bringing himself deliberately behind Madison so no space separated them.

Like a hunter encircling his prey. For the first time Troy knew where he belonged and what he wanted. Everything revolving around Madison.

He wasn’t sure whether it was a good thing he felt. He only knew that she felt alive.

She felt like his.

“ My mother taught me.” Madison acknowledged Troy sliding his hands in hers when she stumbled and went off key. He thread their hands together, uncomfortable how intimate it felt as he quickly guided her fingers back repositioning them accordingly. At first she was stiff, reluctant to cooperate but eventually decided to relax against her better judgement. Perhaps, if she let Troy have his way in pursuing her she’d learn a thing or two about him she could use later on to her advantage.

Troy never gave up a moment to touch her.

She could feel the tension radiating off of him as his body collided with hers. It took Troy everything in him to hold back his urge to bend his head and press his lips to her neck right there. He found more delight than he should’ve in the feeling of her tight body against his.

“ Lucky you. My mom never wanted anything to do with me.” Troy could feel her spine shiver against his hardened chest proceeding to press his biceps further into her shoulders to possess he again.

His movements went from elegant to controlled and unpredictable making it almost impossible for Madison to keep up. He was drowning her out now replacing her gentle melody with his own dark timbre.

Eventually her feet lifted off the floor when the tempo sped up. Her legs betrayed her tensing up as if in sexual arousal when Troy managed to relinquish control clenching his muscular thighs against hers. Finding herself trapped between Troy’s ridiculously long legs dominating her completely she felt her defenses begin to unravel. Despite being the strong woman she was Troy was unnervingly skilled at surrounding her in his touch.

Madison couldn't remember the last time she had sex. Simple pleasures like that weren’t of much importance when she was too focused on her kids and staying alive for them.

Being touch starved for so long she’d almost forgotten what it was like to be admired so passionately and paid attention to. Troy was her sin, her contradiction and toxic addiction making him her greatest foe.

Her back arched up as his tall frame pressed against hers unconsciously burying his face in her hair and inhaling her scent. Troy was completely hard now, gushes of uncomfortable wetness making his underwear stick to his skin.

They were both in perfect harmony now as one unit, their breaths coming sharper and quicker in tandem. Their hands moved along the keys gracefully, their knuckles bumping and brushing against each other. The atmosphere between them was practically burning with electricity.

Madison had never felt this way before. She closed her eyes and shivered surrendering to the music, surrendering to him. The feeling of letting go and letting Try take control was so new and dangerous.

Her toes curled up thankful Troy couldn't see the face she was making right now. He was underneath her skin now, in his territory and she’d walked right in without warning.

There was torture between them too, in the way he was offering her friction knowing it wasn’t enough. He was all over her now, wrapped up around her in more ways than one and she was too busy feeling.

The music swelled along with the pervert’s most likely current erection pressed up against her backside. At that point Troy finally decided to release Madison taking his side opposite hers.

Madison felt herself wince when their bodies finally separated but there was no reaction from Troy whatsoever

As the rapturous melody finally reached its climax the last notes trailing off Troy turned to her now satisfied he’d brought her to his level.

Nick stared straight at the scene ahead of him, paralyzed.

“ Thanks for the lesson, Madison.” He said it so softly she barely heard him.

Silence ensued and Madison failed to respond for once still collecting her thoughts in disbelief of what’d just happened.

Ever so slowly, Troy turned catching Nick spying on them from the adjacent room. He didn’t say anything but that smile of smug self-assuredness left Nick deeply disturbed more than anything.

He shouldn’t have left but with his mom being there he didn’t want to go and make a scene causing more trouble.

It wasn’t going to be easy forgetting such an intimate scene between the bastard he always had a bone to pick with and his own mother.

God just when he thought he couldn't possibly hate Troy more, but now...he reeled in disgust. His sick fixation with his mom lusting after her like a dog in heat was downright creepy as hell.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so there's a ton more chapters of this i have written out but i wanted to milk it out and get people's anticipation up if you know what i mean :)

Alicia woke up with the general feeling of blah come morning. Turning on her side she noticed Jake's absence, the mattress still warm indicating he must’ve left not too long ago.

Despite convincing herself their relationship was ill-fated and wouldn’t last long given the state of the world she found herself starting to feel something akin to intimacy. She liked that Jake accepted who she was and let her say whatever was on her mind without making judgements.

Somehow, he’d even managed to convince her to read, crazy as that might have sounded. He’d let her borrow one of his personal favorites, The Giver. From reading the description on the back it sounded like some post-dystopian novel she might've read in school.

That seemed like ages ago.

Finding shards of light, as Jake had mentioned when she asked him what was even the point anymore. His ideology to find hope in a world that took and took from you seemed not only naive but incredibly unrealistic.

Putting her robe on over her tank top she was about to head out into the hallway to take a shower when she was stopped short.

Her mom was standing above Troy by the stairs already not liking what she was seeing.

He kneeled down setting down the duffel bag slung over his shoulder unzipping it to reveal a pair of leather boots.

They looked almost identical to the ones she already had on but these ones weren’t muddied and tattered

Alicia watched Troy carefully as he untied her mom’s shoelaces with his rough calloused hands caressing her heel a minute too long as he slid her foot out. Madison hissed at the contact making him immediately look up. Her feet were red and swollen from wearing the same boots endlessly trekking the rurals of the San Diego desert.

“ I should have you know I can give you a proper massage. I’m very good with my hands.”

Madison mulled it over, those intense blue eyes of his focused solely on her. She was more than aware of the young man’s strong attraction towards her by now using it to her advantage. Caught in a rare moment of vulnerability she was hesitant to allow Troy the luxury not knowing where it could lead.

In the end, her feet screaming in pain longing to be touched and tended to by healing hands outweighed her inner conflict.

“ Alright then, that’d be nice of you.” She finally said.

Troy perked up obviously pleased that Madison had accepted his offer wanting nothing more than to show his affection for her.

“ Be right back.” He quipped.

Alicia could hear him jogging his way up the stairs forcing her to quickly shut the door as discreetly as she could removing herself from Troy’s line of sight.

Once she pressed her ear up against the door no longer hearing the padding of feet along the creaky wooden floorboard she opened the door ever so slightly.

Peeking her head out she saw Troy kneeling down on the staircase in the spot he was before squeezing out a bottle of pink colored lotion into the palm of his hand. Meanwhile her mom sat on the step above him still looking surprisingly calm and in control on the surface.

She watched him rub her mom’s feet with a slow tenderness making her all the more uncomfortable. He smiled ever so often whenever he got a good response noticing how her toes would curl up in pleasure. Hroy wanted to keep doing that, pleasing her and making her feel good. She went on to ask him to rub harder in some areas and more gentle in others. Troy dutifully obeys her every word reading her body language like he was connecting the dots piecing everything together.

Alicia pressed her lips together strongly feeling the urge to do something but was intimidated by Troy.

To say he was enjoying himself was an understatement. Being this close to Madison letting him take over and care for her counted as a big step in their relationship.

He imagined rubbing the lotion all over her naked form, drawing moans of pleasure from his hands worshipping every inch of her yielding to him completely and irrevocably. Suppressing his hunger for her was beginning to be a real effort on his part. All Troy really wanted was to own her, claim Madison as his own and show her how much he’d love her.

Ever since he’d brought her to the ranch he made no effort shying away from his gaze lingering towards her finding himself more enamored by her every passing day.

He’d even gone so far as to tell Madison he had picked her specifically. That inner fire that burned within her driven by her unconditional love for her family by attacking him and bringing him to his knees made her terrifyingly beautiful. Troy wanted that. Needed it. That devotion reserved for her ungrateful kids and show her he was the only one worthy of her affections.

Soon he’d be her everything.

Although Madison didn’t want to admit it, Troy was very experienced when it came to his hands. She could feel the tension loosen from her aching feet as he kneaded virtually everywhere that cracked making her feel ten times lighter.

“ You’re good at this.” She finally said breaking the silence between them. It was an odd feeling she couldn't help but think that the same hands used to inflict pain on others could be just as capable of having a much softer side.

“ You think so?” His gaze concentrated on her feet lifted towards her, his penetrating blue eyes flicking with interest when she went on to praise him. Madison regretted it immediately but didn’t tell him to stop.

By the time he was done her feet looked vastly better, her skin smooth to the touch and glowing with a pinkish shine. Her pulse quickened not knowing if it was because Troy made her uneasy or because the way he handled her with so much care stirred something in her.

The fact that this much younger man who was capable of doing terrible things cared only about her was both terrifying and exciting. It made her feel powerful.

Helping her slide the boots in he stood up forgetting how tall Troy was and how handsome he could be up close. He had long eyelashes and his cheekbones were high, along with the rest of his facial features that were overall youthful but masculine.

His eyes were so big and so blue they practically pierced through her. He wasn’t wearing his usual uniform but a faded heather green shirt that exposed his arms, where blue veins streaked along his perfectly tanned skin.

Troy was still smiling at her, his rich dark hair catching in the morning sun bringing out different shades of brown.

In one step he drew close to her steading his hand pressed to the wall. He looked down at her backing her into a corner like he wanted something. Like he wanted her.

His hand hovered over her cheek disarming her when he drifted down her jaw, her neck, resting uncomfortably close to her chest.

“ You know I could kiss you right now if I really wanted to.” He bent down to utter in her ear, not a whisper but firm and declaring like a promise.

It was humiliating, everything about it all. The mild jolt of arousal she felt thinking he was going to do just that. Madison glared at Troy irritated by that crooked awkward boyish grin.

Somehow she managed to keep her composure jutting her chin with new confidence. Pulling back from his touch she regained the role as the consenting adult.

“ Maybe I don’t want you to.” She finally warned with a tense smile meeting that dark eroticsim in his gaze head on.

Troy only smirked, his ambition to make her his fueled eve more so by her rejection.

Two could play at one game, Troy thought. And boy did Troy love games.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing drunk Madison here. it's so entertaining and out of character of her xD

“ Are you seriously sleeping on patrol right now?” Troy dropped his duffle bag on the floor making enough noise to wake Nick up.

Lounging in a chair with his feet propped up against the railing Nick didn’t give off any vibe of being alert whatsoever.

“ Relax, I was just resting my eyes. Besides you’re taking over for me right?” His surly attitude didn’t help with Troy’s growing frustration.

“ One of us has to apparently,” He said under heated breath not appreciating being at such a disadvantage around Nick.

Nick just smiled mockingly patting his shoulder.

“ No rest for the wicked, right?” Nick laughed at his own joke as he shoved a pair of night vision goggles to Troy’s chest smirking at him knowingly. Turning his back to him he ambled away whistling as he went.

Troy glanced back at him practically seething. The only thing keeping him from kicking his ass down the stairs and wiping that smug look off his face knowing Nick knew who the real culprit was behind the Trimbol’s death.

Whatever. If his punishment meant picking up Nick’s slack for night watch so be it.

He’d become a bit of an insomniac these days anyways. While the rest of the world slept his mind was constantly buzzing with every random thought in the universe.

Evers since the incident with the Trimbols that Madison had covered up for him they’d had to take extra precautions. More patrol was added to surround the general area that extended along the border.

She’d taken him off guard when she plainly told him she didn’t care why he slaughtered one of his former friends and his entire family in cold hard blood. Instead, she made him promise things wouldn’t get out of hand like that again. That authority in her voice was undeniable turning him on incredibly.

“ Now it’s up to you to save us.” Her gaze was fixed on him and he might’ve gotten a little lost in the process.

All that came out was a curt nod, his throat tightening when he spoke feeling all the blood rush to his dick, “Yes ma’am.”

Troy never appreciated being told what to do. He was always a man of instinct. A lone wolf who set his own course. But Madison? She possessed a strength, a brutality much more subdued but still lurking beneath the surface. A wolf in sheep's clothing he thought to himself.

She wasn’t vicious and reckless like himself but she was tough and held a fierce determination towards those she deeply cared about. She was good with people, that was for sure as she had won over him with that warm and friendly smile clearly seeing that she didn’t trust him.

There wasn’t anyone else like her.

He could see so much of her in him, that yearning for power. They were both fighters, survivors who’d fought their way to come out on top.

While Madison gained allies inspired by her strength and strong will to lead and survive Troy sought to control the situation from beginning to end.

Troy’s goal had always been establishing an exertion of dominion. Keeping everyone subjugated while he alone possessed all the power and control. Meeting Madison had changed his initial pplans.For oncen in his selfish life he found himself wanting to share his world with this captivating woman, old enough to be his mother whom sparked his interest.

She was special, she was made for this world. He wanted her on his side. They could be strong, vigilant and ruthless together. It was just a matter of time before she accepted her true colors.

Madison was a flower he wanted to watch bloom.

Sometimes the solution wasn’t so easy. Sometimes it was brutal. And Troy knew better than anyone what needed to be done. When Troy saw others hesitant of taking the first step he dove right in. It was convenient really that he never really needed to reevaluate his decisions due to his shattered moral compass.

He had to kill the Trimbols in order to instill fear in the residents back at the ranch from following suit making Walker and his people the scapegoat in the process.

Otherwise they’d have lost control and lost everything in the process. Not on his watch. He and his family poured too much of their blood and sweat into building this place into what it was now.

He didn’t regret the blood spilled on his hands. Maybe he was a bit sadistic to have that frame of mind but Troy didn’t live life with regrets.

He did what he had to do.

“ Killing is what I was always best at, right?” That was the last thing he ever said to Mike as he plunged the knife into his chest getting a sick thrill from watching the color drain from his face. He didn’t stop just there going on to twist the blade in his friend’s gut without a second thought.

The slower route was more enjoyable this way. Feeling Mike’s blood on his hands still warm as he rasped and gurgled abnormally.

Before Mike’s dad could do so much as grab his hunting rifle from underneath his seat Troy shot him point blank in the head. Blood splattered the broken glass and Troy’s attention shifted to the other passengers in the RV.

Gretchen and her mom proved to be not much of a challenge than their deceased counterparts. Nothing more than a simple game of hunter and prey.

It was short work. Easy work.

Mike’s mom saw Troy reach for the door handle thinking fast and barricading it by quickly pushing the backup generator over as fast as she could temporarily making a makeshift wall. Troy was beyond pissed now watching her angrily from the window. That was his old man's and there was no reason for him to just give it away. They had taken it under the radar just thinking about their own skin. No way was Troy going to stand for this.

The thing was heavy and impossible to move but once he shot at the latch giving the metal door a good kick he busted it open just enough that he was able to crawl through the narrow space. He could hear Gretchen’s mom yelling something incoherent to her daughter: Most likely to run.

“ You never should’ve left the ranch.” Troy’s voice lacked any emotion whatsoever as he cornered her scrambling for the nearest exit like a chicken with its head cut off.  _Pathetic_ , he thought

He shot her like he had her husband making a massacre of the Trimbol family.

When he finally caught Gretchen she was already making a beeline to the back of the RV. The cart was open and she was attempting to caox their horse out not even bothering with hooking up a saddle just wanting to escape Troy’s murderous rampage.

“ Troy p- please you don’t have to do this. I’ll go now I won’t tell anybody! I promise!” She lifted her hands uselessly to shield her face sobbing and curled her fingers into fists begging for her life.

“ Yeah,” He said it so nonchalantly and smiled smug

“ I really can’t do that.”

Killing her was easy. Like swatting a fly not doing so much as batting an eye. He shot her down as she slumped off the horse and bled out landing in the pasture.

Burning the bodies later at the congregation should’ve made him uneasy. It didn’t. After Madison had addressed the residents seeing the gruesome evidence he left behind making up some lie that this was all a ruse for Walker and his people to scare them away he was more taken aback than anything.

Turning to Madison her gaze flashed at Troy in the flickering flames, her mouth pulled into a sullen frown like somehow she just knew.

Putting herself on a pedestal she was able to convince everyone that this was exactly what Walker wanted. To bleed them out and choke them by fear.

“ _Abandoning the ranch now would only be the coward’s way out. We need to be stronger than that. We have no other choice_.”

The crowd was still tense and scared but something about Madison’s commanding presence eventually made a more enthusiastic murmur slowly run around the half circle.

Troy simply stood back observing her with a quiet admiration from a distance. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her, her face lit up by the fire looking confident, triumphant and practically glowing.

God, she was beautiful and fearless, the white witch of the apocalypse he thought. And he was her dark knight forever in service.

Jotting down a few notes in his journal about what this could all possibly mean Troy picked up his stuff to leave once it neared the end of his shift.

The distinct sound of glass clinking in the dead of night alerted him to a small fire projecting in the corner of the campsite.

A bottle rolled in Troy’s path when he went on to investigate further.

Curled up under a tree was no other than the woman of his dreams nursing what looked like a bottle of beer.

Her lips were pink, lids sagging, and her hair was wild falling ungracefully past her face.

“ Heyy stranger..” Her cheeks dimpled into a slow smile when she saw him approaching her.

“ Are you drunk?” Troy came over to her, mouth stuck in a gentle frown looking perplexed. Madison didn’t seem like the type to take to drink as a coping mechanism.

It was a dumb question, her unusual bubbly greeting and the empty bottles discarded around the camp site an obvious indicator. 

“ I used to be a bartender you know, back in college.” She mused, popping another bottle like she had opened a thousand in her lifetime.

“ Hmm I can see that.” He was picturing it in his head, a Madison around his age pouring drinks for strangers while they poured out their souls under the influence of alcohol. Talking with all kinds of people and getting inside their head. She certainly had that effect on him.

“ Where did you even get that?”

He pointed to the bottle of whiskey she was holding recognizing the brand from which his pops usually drank.

“ Stole it.” She hiccuped slurring her words when she spoke, “ From Jeremiah’s private stash." Why? You gonna be a snitch?” Her nose and mouth scrunched up as she beamed back a positively delirious smile.

“ No, I really don’t care about that..” Even in her alcoholic stupor his heart sped up a bit and his face flushed even pinker.

It was a weird feeling he couldn’t help but think. Like he was watching Madison from the outside detached from her own body while he made conversation with this complete stranger.

“ Sometimes I just need a release, alright? Don’t deny a woman her pleasures, hon.” Troy felt warmth in his face at the mere mention of her calling him ‘hon’. Hon meant honey right? It was a small thing but came off extremely affectionate since no one had ever called him that before.

Clearly he was reading too much into it.

Troy simply watched as Madison took another swig of the dark substance that affected her. He had the strong notion he should probably intervene before she got carried away.

“ You’re legal right?”

Troy stared dumbly at her unsure how to respond.

“ C’mon. Don’t just stand there looking like an idiot,” She patted the ground motioning him to join her.

“ You know the saying, misery loves company.”

She gestured to herself as her face upturned into a smile nearly spilling her drink in the process. His eyes were bright and his lips showed a small amused smirk when she pouted as he tried to take the bottle from her.

“ Madison, it’s late c’mon you look like you’re gonna pass out any minute now.” The roles were switched this time ironically with him being the mature adult consoling her when she seemed out of her element.

She began to stand up, her posture a bit slump staggering a little giving Troy a funny look when she slowly lurched forward.

Troy opened up his arms to catch her blushing furiously when she reached out to grab him by the hem of his shirt. Tugging him close, her fingers curled under his cotton tee, her knuckles barely grazing his stomach.

“ Madison?” In that moment Troy could actively feel all the blood rush to his face. The hairs on his arms stood up when their lips were barely inches apart now.

“ I think you’re too cute..” She poked his ribs in an uncharacteristic playful manner making his adrenaline skyrocket.

“ If I were any younger,” She stroked his cheek, her hands lingering near his stubble finding some weird fascination over it.

“ We’d have great sex. Amazinggg sex.” Those green eyes of hers stabbed him with their depths having already imagined multiple scenarios where he had her vulnerable, exposed and submitting to him. Her fingers dragged over the hard muscles of his stomach exploring him further. The throb Troy felt bordered on pain.

Troy never drank but the giddiness he felt from her touching him drove his higher thinking very much the same way. With his primitive brain in charge and the flood of endorphins taking over he felt the hairs on his skin raise and his groin feel painfully constricting.  
He simply stood there unsure what to do as it was a feeling he’d never experienced before. Like a hormone-raging teenager tormented by his first crush. In the goddamn apocalypse of all things.

He was intoxicated.

“ How old are you anyway?” The question hung in the air before Troy remembered to breathe again. It was hard to think, forcing himself to pull away just enough that her fingers slid off his skin and rest on the waistband of his jeans. It wasn’t that much better but there was no heat in his belly now allowing him to think clearer.

The alcohol was definitely getting to her head now clearly having no idea what she was saying at the current moment.

“ I..uh..turned twenty-four last August.”

Troy watched her take a long drink, her head bobbing up and down with every swallow finishing the entire thing. The sudden emotion that bubbled up inside him when her eyes shifted to meet his made his eyes dialate wanting to understand the meaning behind it. Her cheeks were stained with the red glow of alcohol made something foreign hitch in his chest.

“ Mhhmm..too bad. M'fourty-five."

“ I don't mind.” He blurted that out way too fast he realized too late.

“ What’re you going on about?” Madison countered arching an eyebrow in vague concern. She tucked back her shoulder-length hair behind her ear. Damn she was so beautiful she didn’t even seem to realize it.

Troy felt his heart flop in his chest.

“ Just..” He stammered struggling for words. He ran a hand nervously through his hair feeling like his cheeks were burning up now. God, if only she realized how much he adored her. Who the hell cared if she was old enough to be his mother. She was fierce and so beautiful, a prize he wanted to claim as his own.

“ I like you for who you are.” A frustrated look overcame his face. Goddamnit, that sounded so awkward than he initially intended. He cringed at his own response wanting to say so much more.

For a while she didn’t say anything. Just continued to stare back at him all soft, her eyes hazy and unguarded for a change. His heart sped up when a mischievous grin slowly creeped on those lips he wanted so badly to kiss.

More than anything he wanted Madison by his side sharing complete dominion over the ranch killing hordes together. They’d be unstoppable. From the moment Troy laid eyes on her he knew she wasn’t weak.

“ You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” She said flatly in a very matter-of fact tone.

“ No. I’m not.” An electricity picked up in the air, his face much more serious this time.

“ You know..” She murmured grappling one of his arms, her voice flowing like liquid honey through Troy’s head. He felt her body become heavy against his. She was pressed up against him so close he couldn't help but rest his cheek against the top of her head, enveloped in her warmth and scent.

Troy’s whole body felt like lead. That bone-deep ache that had haunted him since the day she interrupted his small world.

“ If I didn’t know any better I’d think you have a little crush on me.” Madison inquired sincerely searching his face when he failed to respond.

His jaw was locked and his lips were tight standing there with baited breath before Madison bent down sucking in air, bile rising in her throat retching all over Troy’s shoes.

The mood turned awkward fast as he looked down at his boots now covered in vomit. Madison refused to look at him obviously embarrassed still gripping at his shoulders for support.

“ C’mere.” He fought back the urge to huff a small amused laugh when Madison dropped her head into his chest. Before she had the chance to collapse out of pure exhaustion Troy hooked an arm around her waist helping her to her feet.

Her knees buckled feeling weak all over not in any condition to walk properly as Troy assisted her along the common grounds where the rest of the ranch’s population stood.

Whatever, she was too tired and too drunk to care at the moment.

Once they reached the front porch of Troy’s house he opened the door promptly guiding her up the stairs. He led her to one of the guest rooms located on the opposite side of the house. Closing the door shut behind them Madison let out a deep sigh looking run down as Troy assisted her onto the bed. 

Helping her shrug off her jacket he stared at Madison in the dim light. His hands acted on their own accord reaching out to touch her temple and she sort of leaned forward, her forehead bumping against his. It wasn’t a conscious movement on her part but it felt real and intimate nonetheless.

How dare she just sit here in front of him looking all tentative, innocent and beautiful. Though his woman was far from innocent by any means. She was a beast beneath a woman. All claws and all bite. Baring her teeth, snapping and snarling whenever the safety of her family was threatened. Untamed just like him taking no prisoners from her wrath. She’d outlast the others, Troy could just tell. That was evolution, survival of the fittest.

“ I think I’m gonna throw up again.” She said suddenly holding onto her stomach like she was in pain. Troy acted immediately bringing over the trash can and crouching down next to her rubbing her back in gentle motions as she puked up a storm.

He made an effort to always be gentle, so gentle with his woman, his queen, his only love. From the moment they’d met he already decided she was his.

To everyone else, he would be just as cruel as always. Only Madison, his Madison deserved better.

Troy left the room coming back with a bottle of water to help her wash out the taste of alcohol. She took it gratefully but immediately noticed how her hands were shaking and fumbled to just simply hold onto the bottle. Eventually he reached out, his hand finding purchase on hers and helped her tip the bottle over so she could drink from it.

“ Try not to chug it.” He said as she pressed the bottle to her lips taking big gulps.

Her expression was flat and there was a lengthy moment of silence between them before Troy spoke up.

“ Hey.” He occupied the side of the bed next to Madison covering his hand with his own hoping it was reassuring. Her look was distant and he paused for a moment wondering just what weighed on her mind.

“ Is everything alright? Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?”

“ Funny you should say that.” He didn’t anticipate her to scoot closer, her head now resting on his shoulder now. She was close enough that he could inhale her scent, it was soft and clean and made him want to surround her in a hug and never let go. It was both odd and thrilling that it had become so easy to fold himself into her life.

“ Your old man has thrown in the towel and managed to lose control over his own people. And then there’s your charmings self, escalating to acts of violence whenever you feel upset or threatened.”

“ You have a lot of trigger points by the way. You’re very sensitive and things tend to set you off very easily.” She smiled noncommittally, there was no pause or room for thought in her dialogue, Troy thought. She simply said the first thing that popped into her head, no filter included.

" Your're like a ticking time bomb. Tick, tick, ticking." She poked his nose making Troy flinch back out of pure shock.

After a few awkward seconds he eventually said, " You can be mad at me, you know."

“ You can yell at me, hit me, cry on my shoulder if you want. And yeah, it's true my past actions haven’t come without consequences...but everything I’ve done Madison has been in service to the ranch, to my home. To you.” He added.

“ That why I follow your commandments, because you understand the way this world works.. You understand me. That’s why I picked you. But..” He paused mid-sentence when she turned her head a little to look at him out of the corner of her eye reeling her back in with his impromptu speech.

Her features were slack and the usual tension that accompanied her face whenever he was in her presence was nonexistent.

His mouth tightened and his voice went soft when he continued.

“ I’ll need you angry and a little bit desperate, ready to fight to defend this place. What we’ve built. To ensure a future for both of us..” His voice trailed off when he emphasized the ‘ both of them’. He hoped the future for them was bright with her finally coming to the realization that he’d been here the whole time. Ready to serve her, to kill for her, to love her.

He had only dreamed about giving Madison a sponge bath, letting him wash her hair and scrub the blood off of her wet and completely nude after killing her enemies.

It was a fantasy he wanted to make a reality.

Hell, he’d kiss her in broad daylight in front of the whole ranch to let everyone know she was his. He grinned to himself picturing the look on Nick’s face.

“ You’re unique Madison. You have this innate ability to tap into people's personalities, what makes them tick, and their weaknesses.”

He sincerely hoped his words of praise affected her confessing in the dark how much he admired her tenacity and strength. Madison was a diamond in the rough and he just wanted to help her shine, to make people see her as he saw her.

“ That’s when you’ll be at your strongest.”

He clenched his jaw while meeting her gaze glazed over him not saying a word. It made his heart constrict in his chest.

Caught in between awkward lovesick teenager and cold-blooded sociopath having no qualms with his twisted mind-set Troy wasn't entirely sure how to act in this situation. Madison made him feel funny, something he’d never experienced before. There was one word to describe it. It was on the tip of his tounge now.

Yearning.

He really wanted Madison to believe him. Tilting her chin up slightly she stared into his eyes, in that secret place only he resided.

Troy felt oddly clean for a change when she nosed at his shoulder noticing the dark circles that hung under her eyes.

Th electricity between them was muted, not screaming and the small moment they shared was peaceful, almost domestic. It made him pause and think if they’d met when the undead hadn’t inherited the earth.

He wondered what kind of things she’d slip in conversation when she trusted someone completely, what made her smile really smile from the heart. He wanted to understand the meaning behind her thoughts and actions and become her closest companion.

Troy didn’t know anything about Madison's past other than being a counselor but he was keen to know what shaped this woman he was so deeply fasninacted with.

Madison blinked, her facial muscles undergoing a twitch and for a moment Troy thought she had snapped out of her drunken haze.

He swallowed thickly bracing himself for the onslaught.

Instead she let out a short brittle laugh throwing him completely off guard.

“ Just because your ego gets hurt doesn’t justify you in being an asshole, sweetie.”

Madison twisted her mouth, the corners going up a degree.

His brows furrowed in concern not able to tell if she was just saying things not being in the clearest state of mind or is she was actually being serious. Madison fascinated Troy. Simply being because he could never read her, not really. Reading people had always come so easy to him. People were naive and stupid sticking to the same biological process that made them so predictable.

Not Madison though. She was different.

Her easy intimacy was what left him at a loss for words. Troy was used to making people nervous, and even though he knew he set Madison on edge she still reached out to him, sought him out and still cared enough when he seemed cold and distant.

He could smell the alcohol on her breath but she didn’t seem as drunk as she did before. Troy never needed to get drunk or high to touch Madison. Guilt never crossed his mind for his actions, only what he deemed what was right and what he wanted.

“ I’m tired,” She finally said bringing him out of his thoughts.

“ Can we just not talk right now? Can you just..” She stared down at her lap noticing how her eyes were dull and tired lacking their usual spark.

Finally she threw him a glance making Troy shift nervously.

Troy looked at her expectantly waiting for her to collect her thoughts. At that moment she leaned into him, tilting her head up and bumping awkwardly against his chin.

“ Can you just hold me? Please?” Unable to hide the slight tremor in her voice Troy felt a swell of emotion rise up in him at how vulnerable Madison sounded. The need to protect, to comfort, to soothe overwhelmed him both emotionally and physically.

She didn’t need to ask him twice proceeding to wrap an arm around her shoulder. He bit his lip having the strong urge to claw her open and crawl inside her forever.

Madison sagged against Troy soaking up his affection and warmth completely defenseless. She was too buzzed with alcohol to say anything when his arm left her shoulder to rub her back in soothing motions.

It was the tender gesture of a partner, a lover, a husband. Someone she could confide in . She could hold onto this feeling a little longer she thought already feeling more sober.

How could someone be so gentle and be capable of doing something so wantonly cruel?

Madison's head was still swimming when she felt a sudden serene sense of calm wash over her vaguely feeling Troy reach over to cradle her head in his arms. His voice dropped to a low pitch not understanding what he was saying. A minute or two went by as she remained there still sinking in the warmth he provided falling in between and out of consciousness.

Her eyelids were getting heavy now feeling like she was about to drift off at any moment when she felt Troy nudging her to lie down on the bed. He kept an arm hooked around her waist overwhelmed at their sudden closeness pressing his nose against the soft hair and skin in front of him. He went as far to prop her head so it was cushioned by a pillow. He watched her try to curl into it but seemed to give up when all she could mamanges was a slight twitch of her hand. He couldn't help but find it kind of adorable.

Madison tried to speak but all that came out was a small weak groan lulling her head to the side to reaching out to squeeze Troy’s hand in hers.

The shock of contact was enough to send a pleasant jolt of electricity run through him wanting nothing more than to get under the covers with Madison. If he’d have his way he’d never stop snuggling her. Instead he opted to lay there beside her leaning in to press his forehead to hers making sure she didn't feel too warm after being in the cold night air for so long.

She didn’t seem to have a temperature, thank god still keeping his fingers looped in hers reluctant to pry them loose. He gazed at his woman, the lines of her body soft and relaxed now watching her chest rise and fall deep in sleep.

Brushing back some of the hair that fell around her face he hesitantly pulled himself away from his queen.

He gave her one last longing look before finally walking away. Catching himself lingering at the doorway Troy couldn’t recall ever seeing Madison so peaceful as she lay on her back with her head curled into a pillow.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You have no freaking idea how much time I spent editing and re-editing the smut scene here. please give me credit for trying

In her dream Madison was burning up with something she couldn't put into words. She felt something unfamiliar burning and coiling in her lower belly and instinctively, her thighs tightened around something solid and masculine.

She wanted to drown in it.

“ Madison,” Troy breathed, feeling the sensation of softness as he raised his warm palm to rest against her face.

She could see it when their eyes met. That violent, unhinged drive of his along with all his pent up frustrations dissolve into pure need and desire just begging for release.

His lips were laid over hers, pushing and prodding and coaxing her mouth open, thrusting his tongue into her mouth like he wanted to rip her apart, spilling all her secrets out to gain some greater sense of understanding of her. Like an animal, she took his mouth in hers sliding her tongue along his. Her hand cupped his smooth jaw a she slowly began to pick up speed. Troy kissed her like he lived, fierce and in control. Madison knew just how toxic and unhealthy Troy was for her. But right now she was too lost in this man sending her in a world of pleasure and sin.

Troy kissed her eyelids, her cheeks and then her mouth again interlacing their hands together. It made Madison feel things, scary life-changing things she shouldn’t be experiencing with a deranged sociopath half her age.

The thing was, there was no room to feel fear or be in any rational state of mind when someone was worshipping you like a goddess. When someone was kissing you and anchoring you with their rough hands on your hips. Madison didn’t run away. She didn’t want to.

Troy pressed his forehead under her chin, exhaling roughly against her clavicle when he finally pulled away. She could still taste him on her mouth, alkaline and salty, like the desert. Something shifted in his demeanor, that shadow that hung over his eyes trained on her made her skin grow suddenly hot.

He must’ve smelled her arousal at some point as he moved his hands hurriedly to undo the front of her jeans relieving her from the unbearable heat underneath. Just as Madison reached out fumbling at his own belt the same time their hands touched making them both jerk back from the sudden contact.

Troy was staring at her, his eyes darkened with lust following hers. Madison sucked in a breath registering him curling his hand around her slender neck making her think of the time he brought a knife to her throat. There was no fear in her eyes then but now there was an urgency in his gaze that overwhelmed her. Demanding her to give in, to let him win.

That constant power struggle between them would always be present.

“ Troy-” Madison was cut off feeling herself arch against the bedspread when he pressed his lips to the junction of her neck, kissing where her pulse was strongest. Every bit of contact they had she could sense sent his senses into overdrive. As did hers. Her shirt had lost all relevance before Troy had even finished tearing it off her.

Madison’s hands moved without conscious decision rising up to tug off Troy’s shirt so she could run her nails along the hard muscles of his back before being pinned back underneath the mere weight of him. He was as warm as the desert, warmer in fact. She heard herself take quick breaths in between, all reason lost to the heavy mist of lust as she pressed hot desperate kisses all along the ridges of his abs tasting the heat and salt of his skin.

“ Do you feel me, Troy?” She whispered like it was a secret tugging off his shirt so she could run her hands along the hard muscles of his back. Digging her nails at the over sensitive flesh on his sides she felt him shudder in response.

“ This is how much I want you.” Her voice was soothing as she laced her fingers through his mess of dark curls and the base of his neck pulling him towards her so she could slant her mouth against his.

“ You love me, don’t you?” They rocked together, a mindless push and pull of hunger and ecstasy.

“ Can you be a good boy and make love to me?”

He groaned pushing down her already soaked panties all the way before stilling for a moment taking her all in. Then he let it all out in one big, long sigh and started to move. He was clumsy at first and she had to move her hips along so he would hit her just the right angle. She was reassuring him that he was okay and that it was going to be alright as she took his hand guiding towards her center. It was less than a conscious thought now and more so an instinct as he leaned his forehead to hers rubbing back and forth searching for her clit with aggressive persistence. His hot breath fanned her face and she thumbed at his lower lip looking up at him and inhaling a little bit of his chaos

Finally he’d found it, shifting himself lower once he’d worked her up and tasted her climax, sticky and so wet. He surged forward so she could feel the extent of his hands cupping over her buttocks and gripping his hands possessively on her inner thighs.

He climbed on top of her now aligning their legs to be perfectly slotted together. Madison’s thighs were framing Troy's hips driven by nothing but pure raw instinct when he pushed his tip deep inside her. She could feel him coursing through her meeting his thrusts in a maddening berserk rhythm.

When Madison began to rock her hips Troy was right there holding her firmly in place, keeping her still and right where he wanted her. His dedication was dizzying, making her writhe and moan. It was an absolute buzz.

As her orgasm finally subsided Madison looked at Troy’s face and found it the perfect picture of bliss. She held her arms out at open invitation and he readily accepted, moving up to hold her tight, soothing and embracing her as she floated back to earth, satisfied and content.

It was the first time the world around her ceased to be sharp and focused. Everything faded to the background besides him.

Small stars bursted across her vision, the edges eventually going black.

They were exploiting each other for power over the other with their bodies and own sexual fantasies and desires.

Troy had finally opened her up and at some point he must've known that.

 

**

Madison woke up frantic and overheated still feeling the heat pool between her legs. It had felt so real, the feel of his skin against hers.

The walls she woke up to surrounded her in a golden light reflecting the sunrise outside telling her it was morning. Finding no one in the room she occupied she allowed herself to relax a little.

Curling under the covers and savoring the peace for the time being she didn’t know how she’d managed to make it back into bed in one piece. She instantly regretted letting herself go last night. She was stressed out and one drink led to another.

Here in this moment she was safe and warm noticing now that the pile of blankets were perfectly tucked around her. Almost like someone had sent time making sure she was comfortable.

Turning on her side she noticed the tray of food sitting on the nightstand beside her feeling grateful as she didn’t think she was capable of moving around to join the rest of the community serve breakfast.

The scrambled eggs were still warm and the fruit tasted fresh. Madison was starving by then eating everything practically in seconds.

She wished she was nineteen again when she didn’t get hangovers on the rare occasions she did drink. Now with each passing year they’d gotten worse. Maybe this was why older people didn’t afford themselves to get drunk as often, they’d learned the hard way.

The world tipped around her precariously as she adjusted herself to her surroundings. Taking in the unfamiliar layout, the archaic-style furniture and the beautiful draped curtains letting a stream of light pour in she didn't recognize this as her usual room.

Not able to the events from last night he only vague memory she had was talking to Troy.

She didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing.

When she’d finally gathered enough strength to get up and walk around she opened the door that led out to a balcony. Suddenly it dawned on her that she was at the Otto’s ranch house. She could see the entire property from up here. The first rays of light were setting over the land.

A screaming hawk flew overhead signaling the break of dawn. She stared ahead at the immensity of the land surrounding Broke Jaw Ranch. The towering rough hills in the distance were just beginning to take shape by the approaching horizon.

When she went to wash her hands she splashed some cold water on her face. She felt ill. Glancing down and unzipping her fly still feeling the dampness there she could imagine the remains of sex lingering on the soft skin of hr inner thighs. Wetting a towel she quickly scrubbed it all away.

Walking down a flight of stairs to get to the rest of the house she saw none other than Troy walking in her direction meeting her in the hallway.

“ G’morning Madison. Sleep well?”

Troy seemed in awfully good spirits considering his current situation with his hushed secret of murdering the Trimbol family in cold blood. It made her uneasy to say the least.

“ Excuse me.”

Troy paused dramatically stopping in front of her as she deliberately took a step towards him confronting him like she somehow knew he was up to no good.

Considering it was Troy it probably wasn’t far from the truth.

“ Do you mind telling me what happened last night? And why on earth I woke up here of all places?” She folded her arms across her chest giving Troy a strained look. Her voice was calm and commanding growing uncomfortable with his gaze fixed on her reminiscent of something that resembled amusement.

“ Hmm that’s too bad I thought you’d be a little more appreciative.” He bit into the apple in his hand not seeming too concerned which only irritated her further.

“ What exactly are you implying?” She asked with bitterness

A grin spread across Troy’s face, wide and unnatural.

She stared at him in silence, her eyes unblinking.

“ Heh, you were so drunk last night you ended up throwing up all over my shoes. Took a long time to clean that up y’know.”

“ What?” Her brows knit together in disbelief.

“ Yeah you were pretty out of it. I don’t think you can handle your liquor very well.” There was a hint of droll humor when he confessed it as if remembering some secret she’d confessed in the heat of her drunken haze.

Madison tried not to look too affected, a hard task she found herself in whenever in Troy’s presence.

She didn’t want to think about making herself a fool in front of a person like him.

“ You feeling better now?” He asked with what sounded like genuine concern.

“Yes..I’m fine. I just need to take a shower.”

 

His gaze flicked to her loose collar when she said it. She tried not to think of the meaning behind it ashamed and infuriated with herself for envisioning Troy giving her the best orgasm of her life in her sleep-clogged mind.

“ Well, feel free to use the shower. It’s on the left at the end of the hall.”

She paused staring into his dark, blue eyes trying to decipher everything written on his face.There seemed to be much more than just simple courtesy in his words. His face softened making him appear like a completely different person taking Madison slightly off guard.

Even the times he came off eerily sweet she reminded herself of Troy’s true nature.

“ No. I wouldn’t want to take advantage of your hospitality any longer. Thanks anyway.” She forced a smile before finally making her way down the stairs and out the front door as Troy continued to watch her.

He was the only one who matched Madison, challenged her and would do anything for her. They were inevitable.

Soon, very soon she was bound to realize that too. Troy could be patient, just for a while longer he thought to himself.


End file.
